There are lots of sounds all around us, and sometimes, without even realizing it, some of them could damage our hearing. While one way to protect your hearing is using wireless earbuds with ANC, Google is working on a solution for this problem, with a new At a Glance update for Pixel phones that will alert users when noises are encountered that might affect their hearing.
It's not enabled or available at the moment, but the folks at 9to5Google have done a deep dive into a recent update to the Android System Intelligence system component for the Pixel 7 and found reference to a "Loud sound alert" capability that will activate “when [a] hearing-damaging loud sound [is] detected.” Although the news outlet is unclear exactly where this will pop up in Android, it takes a guess that it could land on the At a Glance screen.
If any of this sounds familiar, that's because the Apple Watch has a similar feature called Noise that will monitor safe hearing levels and notify users when they encounter dangerous environments. The feature is exclusive to the Apple Watch and currently doesn't appear on any iPhones, monitoring environmental sounds and giving the users the ability to set a noise threshold ranging from 80 to 100 decibels.
Over the years, the Pixel Launcher At a Glance feature has evolved nicely, adding more alerts and abilities to its repertoire. Currently, Pixel users can instantly see information about package deliveries, doorbell notifications, fitness activity, bedtime alerts, connection and battery statuses, and more. There's so much packed into At a Glance at the moment that it really does become a time saver, requiring the user to do less and see more.
While there is currently At a Glance content that's meant to keep you safe, like earthquake and air quality alters, along with severe weather indicators, if the loud sound alert comes to fruition, it will certainly hit a bit closer to home when it comes to a user's health. As mentioned before, this feature isn't currently available but has been seen in the Android code. Since this is an early look, it's always best to temper expectations because there's always the chance that Google could scrap the idea.
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Google Pixel 7
The Google Pixel 7 is a refinement of the already excellent Pixel 6, making for a very polished phone with a great camera.
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Google Pixel 7 Pro
The Google Pixel 7 Pro comes with a 6.7-inch OLED display. It comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection, but a screen protector will go a long way in keeping it in pristine condition.
